Amy Andelson and Emily Meyer, screenwriters with their debut young adult novel, LAYOVER, out now!, on being housecats, blurring the line between best friends and collaborators, their annual “corporate retreat” road trip, and complementing each other emotionally through the editing process.

Sasha Alsberg and Lindsay Cummings, co-authors of the New York Times bestselling sci-fi novel ZENITH, talk about battling dyslexia/ADD and chronic fatigue, why Lindsay dedicates every book she writes to her father, thinking that writers were cyborgs and/or holograms, deciding to co-write over text, and leaving the subject of their book up to a Twitter poll (but then ignoring it).

John August—screenwriter known for Go, Big Fish, and more, and host of the Scriptnotes podcast—on his debut middle grade adventure novel, ARLO FINCH IN THE VALLEY OF FIRE (out Feb. 6!). John talks about the tricks authors have that screenwriters don’t, what made him think of recording his entire process of writing, selling, and debuting ARLO, the shadow of Harry Potter over all MG, and podcasting as an American art form.

Jasmine Guillory, debut author of The Wedding Date (out Jan. 30!), on being an extroverted writer, using the notes app to take the pressure off starting a new book, the importance of stillness, and how romance novels can instruct us about affirmative consent.

Ben Acker, co-creator and writer for The Thrilling Adventure Hour, and writer for TV, comic books, and a series of Star Wars middle grade novels, including Star Wars: Join the Resistance. Ben and I talk about giving himself his first job, how a ukulele solo got him a gig writing at Marvel, and shares the definitions of art that he can’t shake.

Will Kostakis, who makes his U.S. debut with The Sidekicks and has two books, The First Third and Loathing Lola, published in his native Australia, talks about approaching every book like it could be his last, spite writing, being the writer he is today because of a personal tragedy, and the difference between the Australian and U.S. YA markets.